The present invention generally relates to a seat belt height adjuster.
Many vehicles use seat belt height adjusters which permit the occupant to vary the location of an associated D-ring so that a shoulder belt portion of a safety belt crosses the occupants upper torso, shoulder or neck at a comfortable location. U.S. Pat. No. 4,571,001, Hakannson, is illustrative of a typical prior art height adjuster. Upon pulling a handle outwardly an associated pin is moved from a locking formation or opening in a frame. A slide or carrier is moved up or down within a frame to vary the D-ring's position. Thereafter the locking pin is latched within another one of the locking formations under control of the occupant. In the above-referenced patent, the unlocking force is applied along a single predetermined direction in order to initiate removal of the pin from the locking formation.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved height adjuster with a multi-directional unlocking means. Accordingly, the invention comprises: a frame having a plurality of spaced locking formations, a carrier movably mounted upon the frame. The carrier has a handle assembly for locking the carrier into one of the locking formations comprising a locking pin movable into and of the designated locking formation and biased by a first spring toward the locking formations, and a variable height spring means for initiating retraction of the pin from the designated locking formation in response to an inwardly directed force on the spring means. The carrier is movable along the frame with the locking pin disengaged from any locking formation. More specifically, the present invention includes a cylindrical first sleeve having a central bore therethrough, a bearing plate, located about the first sleeve, the bearing plate includes first spring retaining means for receiving a first side of the spring means, a second sleeve is slidably received about the first sleeve connected and movable with the locking pin. The second sleeve includes second spring retaining means for receiving an opposing side of the spring means.
Many other objects and purposes of the invention will be clear from the following detailed description of the drawings.